


Ridiculous Sentence Prompts, KaiShin edition

by Rachello344



Category: Magic Kaito, 名探偵コナン | Detective Conan | Case Closed
Genre: M/M, Prompt Fic, Samurai Falmenco AU (chapter 6), background Akako/Aoko, background Heiji/Kazuha, background Sera/Ran, new chapters to be added as I write them, other characters and tags to be added upon new additions, usually during bouts of writer's block while I work on bigger projects
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-04-18
Updated: 2016-01-23
Packaged: 2018-03-24 15:48:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 12,948
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3774421
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rachello344/pseuds/Rachello344
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A series of short KaiShin fic based on prompts found on Tumblr.  The prompt sentence will be listed at the beginning of each chapter and will be taken from this <a href="http://rachello344.tumblr.com/post/137893509234/these-were-posted-by-toxixpumpkin-but-i-need-to">list</a>.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Car Accident Meet Cute

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: “Fuck I feel like I got hit by a car… Wait I did? And it was your car?”

Kaito groaned, squeezing his eyes shut against the urge to open them.  He had a feeling that he’d regret waking up if he did, but aches and pains were already beginning to creep back into his awareness.  His muscles felt tense, and he thought his ribs might be broken or at least bruised.  He twitched his hands and feet—the sharp pain shooting up his leg felt very much like a bad sprain.

 _What happened last night?_ Kaito thought to himself, finally opening his eyes.  The room he was in smelled like disinfectant, and the lights hurt his eyes, reflecting off the white walls and plastic furniture.  He couldn’t seem to remember why exactly he was in a hospital, though.

Had something happened during his show?

No, he’d definitely finished the show, so on his way home…?

“Oh, good, you’re awake,” someone said from the doorway.  Kaito glanced over.  The man was handsome; his black hair was neat, except for a piece sticking up in the back.  Kaito hummed to himself, glancing the man over.

“How are you feeling?” he asked Kaito, sitting in the chair beside the bed.

“I feel like I got hit by a car or something,” Kaito admitted, grimacing.  The man flinched guiltily.  “ _Did_ I get hit by a car?  Was it yours?” Kaito asked.  The man wasn’t a doctor, so he wasn’t entirely sure why he’d be there unless…

“I’m sorry,” the man said, bowing his head.  “I’ve already taken the liberty of paying your medical bills.  I’m really very sorry—I was in pursuit of a criminal and didn’t see you—I’m so sorry.  If there’s anything else I can do, please let me know.”

Kaito thought about that for a moment—trying to focus past the realization that the man was a _detective_.  He couldn’t help but imagine the man in uniform before focusing again, shaking it off.  As far as he could tell, most of the damage was already being taken care of, so by all rights, the guy had more than made up for his actions. 

“Well, there is one thing,” Kaito said slowly.  “I’d like to know your name, and I was wondering if you’d get lunch with me after I’m discharged.”

The man blinked in surprise, clearly thrown for a loop.  His lips pulled into an incredulous smile before he began to laugh.  Kaito smiled; the man’s laugh sounded lovely.

“Kudo Shinichi,” he said, still chuckling to himself.  “And I’d love to get lunch with you.”

“Then it’s a date,” Kaito beamed.  “And I’m Kuroba Kaito, but I’d really like it if you called me Kaito.”

“Well then, Kaito, I suppose you should call me Shinichi.”

Kaito beamed at him and was about to tell Shinichi how happy he was that he’d been hit by a car if it meant he got a date with a cute guy out of it, but the doctor hurried in, glancing over his charts.  She seemed surprised to see Shinichi in the chair.

“Kudo, what are you doing here?” the woman asked.  “I thought you’d gone home already.”

“I wanted to check on him, seeing as it’s my fault he’s in here.”  Shinichi smiled.  “Besides, I still need to give him my phone number.”

The woman narrowed her eyes, “Is that right.”

Shinichi laughed at her expression, quickly scribbling something down on a notepad he’d pulled from… somewhere.  He ripped the page out and passed it to Kaito, winking.

“Call me when you’re released, okay?”

“Absolutely,” Kaito said, feeling a little breathless.  Although, that might have been the ribs.

Shinichi left the room with a jaunty wave.  The doctor shook her head, looking exasperated.

“Now that he’s gone, I can get to work.  I’m Haibara, your doctor today,” the woman said.  “How are you feeling?”

“My left foot and ribs hurt, and my muscles all ache,” Kaito told her.  “Although, all said, I feel a little better now that I have a date lined up.”

She snorted, “Only Kudo could hit someone with a car and wind up with a date.”

“Are the two of you friends, then?” Kaito asked, sitting up a little more.

“Something like that,” Haibara allowed.  “He’s in and out a lot due to his work, questioning victims and witnesses, getting his own wounds treated…  Most of my patients end up connected to Kudo somehow.  I think the nurses arrange it,” Haibara rolled her eyes.  “Arm please.”

He did as she asked, letting her know how everything felt until she was satisfied.

“You’re going to be sore for a good while, but you’re otherwise fine.  Nothing’s broken, but you should avoid walking on your foot if you can.  Also, don’t make too many sudden movements or you could do some damage to your ribs,” Haibara said.

“I suppose it’s a good thing I’m between magic shows, then,” Kaito said.  “I’ll keep the planning to paper for…  How long should I wait before going back to my normal activities?”

“I’d give it at least a week and a half to be safe.  You’ll probably be able to walk on your foot again in a week, but I’d take it easy.”

“I can do a week and a half.”

“Good,” she said, setting the chart down.  “Come back in if anything seems to be hurting more than usual.  I’ll write you a prescription for some medication, and one of the nurses will bring you some crutches.”

“Sounds good, Doctor.”

“You should know, Kudo runs into a lot of trouble while he’s out, even when he’s off duty.  Don’t be afraid to make him leave the crime scene once other officers arrive,” Haibara said, pausing in the doorway.

“I’ll bear that in mind,” Kaito said.  She nodded to herself before continuing out the door.

He had a good feeling about Shinichi.  Kaito could easily imagine taking him to Akako’s party two weeks from now and introducing him to his friends.  (He wasn’t looking forward to introducing him to Hakuba, but that was mostly because he thought they might get along _too_ well.)

Of all the times he’d been in the hospital, this was the happiest he’d been leaving.  The downtime wouldn’t even be all that bad if it meant he got to go on a few dates with his handsome detective.  If they dated long enough, the story of how they met was going to be _very_ entertaining.

Kaito grinned.


	2. Men's Shirts, Short Skirts

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: “The skirt is short on purpose.”

“Kid!” Shinichi jolted, his face going hot in his surprise.  He glanced back down again—long legs, short skirt—before he drew his eyes back up to the familiar grin in an unfamiliar, feminine face.  Kid pouted, straightening his blouse—Shinichi pulled his eyes away again.

He was not going to look at Kid’s (very convincing) cleavage, he _wasn’t._

“What’s the matter, detective?” Kid asked, stalking forward with a dangerous sway to his hips.  His voice was still that of a woman’s, but Shinichi was sure he was right about his identity.  He was pretty sure he even had a list of evidence, although it was hard to remember when his eyes were caught by the bright red pout.

“I—” Shinichi swallowed with some difficulty.

“Cat got your _tongue_?” Kid purred, running one hand up Shinichi’s chest, resting red nails against his shoulder, his neck.  Shinichi shivered.

“Of course not,” he muttered, tilting his head away, unable to avoid a whiff of perfume, just enough to be tantalizing.  Kid leaned in closer, pressing Shinichi into the wall.  Shinichi noticed with some surprise that, in the room’s light, Kid’s eyes looked almost violet—no contacts in, either.

“No, I suppose it’s not a cat that has your tongue.  Do I make you uncomfortable, _great detective?_ ” Kid brushed his lips over Shinichi’s cheek.  Shinichi’s breath caught.

“That’s certainly one word for it,” Shinichi quipped.  “Your skirt is _inappropriate_.”

“My, detective, were you _looking_?” Kid teased.  “The skirt is short on purpose, you know.  How else am I to seduce a man?”

Shinichi could think of a few ways, and only about half of them involved a woman.

There had to be a way to get the upper hand.  Shinichi knew for sure this was Kid, and he knew Kid had the gem somewhere in his possession.  Maybe there was something he could do to turn the tables…  After all, Kid seemed to have made a slight error in his assumptions…

“Such a shame you’ll have to accept the loss tonight, detective.  It’s been fun playing with you now that you’re… well, I think I’ve made my point.”  Kid laughed airily, pressing another light kiss to Shinichi’s cheek.

Shinichi quickly spun them around, pinning both of Kid’s hands above his head, pressing him back against the wall.  Kid tensed under him, shifting as if looking for enough purchase to escape.  Shinichi leaned in closer, pressing his mouth close to Kid’s ear.

“I agree, Kid.  Playing is much more fun now that we’re on equal ground,” Shinichi hummed, brushing his lips over Kid’s ear, watching Kid shiver.  “Although, I believe you neglected some very important research, Kid.”

“Oh?” Kid asked, distracted by his attempts to wriggle out of Shinichi’s hold.  He didn’t seem to be trying all that hard, curious about what Shinichi planned to do, perhaps.

“I thought I’d made it clear to you,” Shinichi said, meeting his eyes again.  “Man or woman, it makes no real difference to me.”

Before he could second guess himself, he pressed his lips to Kid’s, settled along Kid’s lean frame.  The breasts felt real where they pressed against his chest, but Shinichi knew Kid was a man under the disguise.

Kid made an interesting noise, kissing back just long enough for Shinichi to forget himself, moving one of his hands from Kid’s to hold the back of Kid’s neck.  When Shinichi pulled back for air—he’d only planned to give him a brief kiss, teasing, nothing like _that,_ nothing so _exhilarating_ —Kid spun quickly out of his hold, dropping a smoke bomb.

The smoke bomb didn’t hide the fact that Kid had been flushed and flustered when he threw it, lipstick smeared.  Before the smoke cleared, Shinichi felt a weight in his jacket pocket, felt another kiss against his cheek.  When it cleared, Kid was gone.

Shinichi pulled the gem from his pocket with a smug smile.  His win, tonight.


	3. Sprained Ankle

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: “Please put me down it’s just a sprained ankle"

Shinichi sighed heavily, clinging to the hand rail as he limped back down the stairs.  It was his own fault, but it didn’t make his ankle hurt any less.  When his ankle healed up, he’d have to go running, maybe do some drills, anything to stop forgetting that he’s not as short as he used to be.

When he stepped back into the chaos of the main room, Hakuba noticed him immediately.  While the other officers rushed about, mostly doing damage control now, Hakuba slipped through them with ease and looked Shinichi over, concern obvious.

“Kudo, what happened?” Hakuba asked.  “I lost sight of both you and Kid in the chaos.  Did he…?” Hakuba glanced meaningfully at Shinichi’s foot, hovering just off the ground so as to keep the pressure off it.

“No, no, it wasn’t Kid’s fault for a change,” Shinichi sighed.  “Well, the trap was his, but the fault was mine.  I misjudged the distance and landed strangely.”

“And the gem?” Hakuba asked.  Shinichi smiled, passing it over to him.

“Incidentally, he felt bad about the circumstances.”

“Well, at least we have it returned.  I’ll take this to—”

“Hakuba, what happened to your friend?” A boy interrupted.  Shinichi thought he remembered Hakuba mentioning him earlier.  Kuroba, maybe?

“He sprained his ankle in pursuit of your _idol_ , Kuroba.”  Hakuba looked annoyed.  Shinichi thought they were friends, but it looked like their relationship might be more complicated than that.

“Well, that’s certainly a shame.  How about you take that gem back to the inspector, and I’ll help Kudo get home,” Kuroba said.  Shinichi frowned at him.  Had they been introduced?  Did Kuroba recognize him?

“I bet you’d love that, wouldn’t you,” Hakuba muttered.  Shinichi raised an eyebrow at him, but Hakuba just shook his head.  Later, then.  Shinichi could wait.  “Well, what do you think, Kudo?  It’s your foot, after all.  I’m going to have to stay a while longer to wrap up with the inspector, but I can give you a hand if you don’t mind the wait, or you could let Kuroba help you and leave sooner.  It’s entirely up to you.”

Shinichi considered them both.  Something about Kuroba was… off, but he didn’t really want to have to wait…  He sighed; the foot he was standing on was starting to ache.  He should probably head home.  He rolled the injured foot tentatively, testing the strain.  It would probably be tender tomorrow, but it should heal quickly if he iced it as soon as he got back…

“I’m taking a chance on you, Kuroba.  Don’t let me regret it.”

Hakuba seemed surprised, but nodded.  Kuroba looked _ecstatic_.  Suspicious.

 

* * *

 

They’d been walking—arms around each other’s shoulders to keep Shinichi from straining his foot worse than it already was—for five minutes when Shinichi made the connection.

“You’re Kaitou Kid,” he decided.  “That’s why Hakuba said the things he did.”

“Do you have any proof?” Kuroba asked, sounding amused more than anything.

Shinichi shook his head and didn’t pull away, “No, just a hunch.  I’m not interested in catching Kid outside a heist anyway.”

“A detective uninterested in catching Kid?  Unheard of,” Kuroba teased.

“Only outside of heists.  It wouldn’t seem fair.”

“Is that right?” Kuroba asked, glancing at him.  A grin spread over his face until he looked like he was about to do something… unpleasant.  Shinichi frowned at him, but before he could say anything to deter him from whatever he was planning, his legs were being swept up from under him.

On instinct, he wrapped his other arm around Kuroba to steady himself.  Kuroba beamed and continued walking.  Shinichi could feel heat spreading from his cheeks to his ears.

“Please put me down.  It’s just a sprained ankle,” Shinichi mumbled, too embarrassed to manage much more volume.   Kuroba just continued smiling and shook his head.

“I don’t think I will.  I have to make things up to my favorite critic somehow, right?” Kuroba winked.  Shinichi groaned.

“Maybe I will start trying to catch you outside of heists, you dick,” Shinichi scowled, turning his face away from Kuroba’s, unwilling to look at his dumb face and dumber smile, overwhelming when it was so close.

“I don’t think you will,” Kuroba mused.  “At least, you’re not going to try to have me _arrested_ outside of heists.”

“As opposed to what?  What other kind of ‘catch’ would I have meant?” Shinichi couldn’t stop himself from asking.

“Don’t tell me you haven’t noticed, detective,” Kuroba said, voice dropping.  “Surely you’ve felt the _tension_ between us since your return?”

Shinichi froze.  The blush, once faded, returned with a vengeance.  Kuroba was right, of course, they’d been… not quite flirting, but certainly not bantering in the same way Kid did with his other detectives.  Shinichi had been planning on ignoring it, but that plan was scrapped now.

“So you _did_ notice?” Kuroba hummed to himself.  “Then, detective, what do you think?  Are you up to _catching_ me now that you know who I am?”

Shinichi could see his house looming in the distance and considered his options.  He _was_ up to catching the thief, of course.  He could never back down from a challenge, and something told him the challenge Kid could provide him would be worth the trouble he caused.

Before he could question his decision, Shinichi cupped the back of Kuroba’s head and pressed a lingering kiss to his mouth.  Kuroba made a startled noise, pressing closer, before Shinichi pulled away and out of his arms.

“I think I can walk from here, thank you.”  Shinichi opened the gate and paused, turning to take in the startled and delighted expression on Kuroba’s face.  “Good luck dealing with Hakuba tomorrow.”  Shinichi closed the gate and walked up the path.

“Detective, that was _cruel_.  You can’t just leave after that!” Kuroba called after him.  Shinichi grinned.

“I answered your question, didn’t I?  Anything else will have to wait,” Shinichi shouted back, opening his front door, laughing to himself.  Served him right.  He wasn’t the only person capable of teasing.

 

* * *

 

By the time Shinichi was settled in bed with his foot propped and iced, he had 10 unread messages on his phone.  One was from Hakuba, asking if he got back okay—he replied immediately in the affirmative—and the other nine were…

Shinichi laughed, shaking with it.

Nine messages from an unknown number bemoaning his cruelty and unfairness, assuring him payback was eminent, telling him to rest while he could, reminding him that the minute he was healed up there would be a heist waiting for him, wishing him pleasant dreams…

Shinichi added the number to his phonebook, considering which name he should use.  Grinning to himself, he entered a combination name:  Kuroba Kaitou.  Something someone could assume was a misspelling, something he’ll know as a pun.  Kuroba would probably get a kick out of it when he found out.

Shinichi set his phone on his nightstand, not bothering to respond to any of Kuroba’s messages.  Yawning, he shifted lower on the bed, keeping his foot elevated, and fell asleep.  All he remembered of his dream come morning was the flash of a monocle and a warm press of lips.


	4. Fake Domestic Bliss

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: “I’m sorry that I got way too into playing house and accidentally kissed you passionately.”

“Listen, Kaito, I need you to work with me on this,” Shinichi said, leaning forward.  “My mother is a terror, and she thinks I need someone living with me or I’ll end up alone forever or something.  Please be my temporary, uh, roommate?”

Kaito leaned back in his chair, eyeing Shinichi with a thoughtful expression.  Shinichi bit his lip, desperate for a positive response.  Ever since Ran got married, his mom had been pushing for him to find someone new so he could live “happily ever after.”  He just wanted one visit where he didn’t feel like strangling her.  Just one.

“Sure,” Kaito finally said, shrugging.  “How long will I be staying?”

“A week or two.  Thank you,” Shinichi said.  “You have no idea how much this means to me.”

“If you’re asking _me_ to live with you, I can probably guess,” Kaito laughed.  “I’m surprised you didn’t pick Masumi or Haibara, actually.”

Shinichi shuddered, “Haibara would rather kill me, and Sera…  No, it would be too weird.”

“But leading your mother to believe _we’re_ dating isn’t?  I mean, that is the goal, right?  Convince your mother that you’re settled in domestic bliss with someone?”

Shinichi shrugged and nodded, unwilling to say more.  Admitting his ill-advised crush would not make this any easier.  This was, frankly, his best and only option, besides allowing his mother’s probable attempts at matchmaking.  That in itself was pretty sad.

“Well, I’ll pack up some stuff and bring it over later, then.  What are we going to need to do?  Also, do we have ground rules for this?” Kaito asked.

“She won’t expect many affectionate displays from me, so we can keep most of that to a minimum, although casual touching would probably be good—sitting near each other on couches, holding hands…”

“So I should be myself, then,” Kaito grinned.

Shinichi laughed, nodding.  He hoped the laugh didn’t sound desperate, but the thought of having Kaito’s arms around his shoulders, his waist, Kaito brushing past him, holding him…  It was hard to focus on everything else they needed to be dealing with.

“We will need to share a bedroom,” Shinichi added.  “My mom is… observant.  More than she lets on.  As for ground rules…  No commenting on anything that happens while we’re sharing the bed.”

“We should keep any signs of affection to our usual levels when we’re alone,” Kaito added, voice serious.  “No pretending when we’re alone.”

Shinichi nodded, “No pretending when we’re alone.”

“I think that about covers it, then,” Kaito said, leaning back with his hands on the back of his head.  “When should I move in?”

“By the end of the week would be good.  She’ll be here on Monday, and we should probably seem used to sharing space before then.”

“Sounds good.  I’ll see you on Friday,” Kaito winked.

Shinichi waved him goodbye before dropping his head in his hands.  This was a horrible, terrible idea.  This was not going to end well.  This was a huge mistake.

 

* * *

 

By the end of the weekend, Shinichi wasn’t sure what he’d been so worried about.  Living with Kaito was _easy_.  Kaito was very clean and organized, constantly putting things away and straightening whatever room he was in.  He hated cooking, but didn’t mind grocery shopping or washing dishes, and he could be convinced to help with the cooking pretty easily.

Sure, sharing a bed with someone he was in love with was hard, but he’d shared a bed with Ran plenty of times while he was in love with her, and he’d been _fine_ afterward.  And, okay, he was probably only digging himself a deeper hole—he was probably more in love with Kaito than he was on Friday, but that was fine, really.

His thoughts were interrupted by the doorbell ringing.

“I got it,” Kaito called from the living room.

Shinichi closed his eyes and counted to ten before going back to cooking dinner.  It was just spaghetti—he was the better cook between the two of them, not that it meant much—but it gave him something to do while his mom reacted to Kaito’s presence in the apartment.

“Well, Kuroba Kaito, I never expected to see you like this,” his mom said, sounding bright and cheery.  Shinichi frowned.  They knew each other?

“Oh, you know, it never occurred to me that Miss Kudo Yukiko was the same Kudo as Shinichi,” Kaito laughed.  “The last time I saw you, was probably…”

“The funeral, I’m afraid.  Chikage and I spent some of our mutual travels together, but I never quite got around to visiting during my trips back to Japan.”  Yukiko paused, possibly hugging Kaito.  “You’ve grown up so well.  Based on what your mother has told me, I’m sure your father would be very proud of the man you’ve become.”

“Thank you,” Kaito said, voice soft.

“Now, tell me, how did you meet my son?”

Kaito laughed, “Now _that’s_ a story.”  Shinichi groaned.  “See, the first time I met your son, he actually—”

“Please don’t,” Shinichi called from the kitchen.

“Aw, but Shinichi, this story is the _best_ , see we were at this party, right?  And he actually accused me of being Kaitou Kid and kicked a soccer ball _right next to my head_ to destroy a phone I was going to use.”

Shinichi sighed.  The second time they met was at least marginally better, he supposed.  This way he didn’t have to explain why he shot a gun _near_ Kaito.  That would have been… unpleasant.

“How on earth did you get from that to dating?” Yukiko asked, laughing with apparent delight.

“Well, we ran into each other several more times, usually when he was on a case, and eventually I started lending a hand here and there.  Before either of us knew it, we were on a first name basis and I was moving into his apartment.”

Shinichi blinked hard at the nearly finished noodles.  That was… not even a lie.  He was impressed.  He’d agreed to let Kaito take the lead, but it hadn’t quite occurred to him just _how_ good at bending the truth he was.  Lying sure, but to completely misdirect people without straying from the truth…

Kaito had breezed past all of the smaller details, like Shinichi asking for his help with taking down the Organization, like learning each other’s true identities, like Kaito rolling his eyes and telling him, “Honestly, detective, just call me Kaito.  After everything we’ve been through, doesn’t using surnames feel a little ridiculous?”  When he’d agreed, and Kaito had beamed at him, saying something like, “Then it’s settled, Shinichi!  We should hang out sometime, maybe catch a movie instead of catching criminals.”

And now Kaito pretending to be his boyfriend.  (Shinichi didn’t think there was anyone who could predict that turn of events.)

Kaito hooked his chin on Shinichi’s shoulder, wrapping his arms around his waist, covering the slight jump Shinichi gave in his surprise.

“Need any help?”

Shinichi shook his head, “It’s almost ready.  You could set the table, though.”

Kaito pressed a quick kiss to his cheek like it was something they did every day before moving about the kitchen, grabbing everything they needed.  Shinichi tried to ignore the rising blush, tried to pretend he didn’t want to memorize the way Kaito’s lips felt on his cheek.

 

* * *

 

After their first, when Shinichi realized how long it took Kaito to wake up on his own, he fell into the habit of making breakfast for the two of them, letting the smell of cooking food wake Kaito up.  He usually stumbled into the kitchen half asleep by the time Shinichi was putting everything on plates.

So on the fifth day of his mother’s visit, Shinichi was doing the same.  Kaito stumbled in before he’d even finished making pancakes, yawning and still mostly asleep, up earlier than he usually was.  Shinichi smiled, feeling a deep fondness and affection welling up.

“Good morning,” Shinichi greeted.

Kaito mumbled something in response, swaying a little as he stepped into the kitchen and into Shinichi’s space to pull a mug down.  After setting it on the counter, he cupped Shinichi’s cheek and pressed a warm, lingering kiss to his lips.

When Kaito pulled back, he continued making his tea like nothing out of the ordinary had happened.  Shinichi blinked after him, dazed, only brought back to reality when he caught the scent of almost-burnt pancake.  He quickly saved it, resolving to not think about the (lovely, unexpected, amazing) kiss until later.

He set the table and put the plate of completed pancakes in the middle, helping himself to three.  Kaito took four, leaving the last three for Yukiko when she finished getting ready.

Shinichi was starting on his second pancake and resolutely not looking at Kaito across the table when Yukiko breezed in.

“Oh, did you make breakfast?  I was actually going to meet up with an old actress friend of mine for brunch,” Yukiko said, sounding apologetic.  “Did I forget to tell you yesterday?”

“It’s fine, Mom,” Shinichi shrugged.  “Have a nice brunch.”

“Thanks, sweetie, you two enjoy your breakfast,” she winked.  “I’ll probably be out for most of the afternoon.”

She called another goodbye on her way out of the apartment.

When Shinichi glanced back at Kaito, he was staring at his pancakes like they held the secrets to life, the universe, and everything.  Shinichi shrugged and took another bite of his pancakes.  Kaito would talk when he was ready.

Shinichi was starting on his third pancake when Kaito’s eyes snapped up.

“Please tell me I didn’t kiss you this morning,” Kaito pleaded, expression tight and embarrassed.  Shinichi coughed, ducking his head.  Kaito groaned.

“I’m sorry,” Kaito moaned, covering his face with his hands. “I got way too into playing house with you, and I might have forgotten that we weren’t dating and, uh, accidentally kissed you good morning like I would if we _were_ dating.”

Shinichi blushed.  He _wished_ they could date for real.  He could be waking up like that _every_ morning…

Wait, but why would he… unless…

“Kaito, are you in love with me?” Shinichi asked on impulse.  Kaito’s face went red under his hands.  He nodded, looking pitiful.

“I probably shouldn’t have agreed, but when else was I going to get a chance to spend _weeks_ living with you like we were happily dating?”

“You’re an idiot,” Shinichi said, amazed.

“What?” Kaito peeked out at him, frowning.

“I’m also an idiot.”

Kaito dropped his hands, “You mean—?”

“I’ve been in love with you since we took down the Organization,” Shinichi told him.  “I asked _you_ because I couldn’t imagine wanting to date anyone else, let alone pretend we were living together.”

“I’ve probably loved you since…  Shit, I don’t remember which heist, but one of them, I’m sure,” Kaito said, laughing shakily.  “I’ve thought about kissing you good morning like that for a long time.”

“Please continue kissing me good morning,” Shinichi told him, trying not to sound desperate or eager.  “Also, hello and goodbye, good night…”

“I should probably start now, seeing as we have quite a bit of time to make up for,” Kaito said.  His grin was wicked.  Shinichi couldn’t help but return the expression.

“You should definitely start now,” Shinichi agreed.

 

* * *

 

They spent the rest of the morning doing chores together.  They did laundry together and made out against the washing machine.  They made the bed together.  (Twice.)  They both got some of their work done—Shinichi had some paperwork to fill out; Kaito had a venue to book for his next show—before kissing on the couch, easy and slow.

By the time Yukiko got back, Shinichi was cooking dinner with Kaito pressed along his back, making a nuisance of himself.  He only stopped kissing along the exposed line of Shinichi’s throat when Yukiko let herself in and settled at the kitchen table.

“I thought so,” Yukiko said, humming.  “The two of you were holding back because I was around, weren’t you.”

“Shinichi doesn’t like public displays of affection,” Kaito said, face still pressed into Shinichi’s neck.  Shinichi blushed when he felt his mom’s eyes settle on him.

“That’s true,” Yukiko agreed.  “I’m so glad…  You seem to make him very happy, Kaito.”

“He makes _me_ very happy,” Kaito said, nuzzling into Shinichi’s neck before kissing his cheek and pulling away.  He slipped around Shinichi to begin setting the table.  “I’m lucky to have him,” Kaito told Yukiko, beaming.

Shinichi decided to ignore the fact that his mother was talking like he wasn’t in the room.  As long as he didn’t have to embarrass himself in front of his mom, he didn’t care.

And anyway, Shinichi _was_ happy.  Too happy to mind much of anything.

For probably the first time in his life, the person he liked not only liked him back, but was also interested in dating him.  Neither of them were experiencing a second childhood, neither of them were living double lives anymore, neither of them had big secrets to keep…

“Well, Shinichi, _are_ you happy?”

Shinichi smiled at his mother and his boyfriend as he served dinner.   “Ecstatic.”


	5. A Pirate and a Detective in SPACE

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: “I can’t believe I’m sitting in space jail with you of all people.”

When Shinichi woke up, his head was pounding like a jackhammer, his mouth was made of cotton, and all he could see was a sharp smile and the flash of a monocle.  He closed his eyes again.  Not today.  Whatever he’d done couldn’t be bad enough to deserve this.

When he opened his eyes again, the grin and monocle were still there.

“What’s wrong, Detective?” the grin asked him, refusing to come into proper focus.  “Never been on this end of things before?”

“Please don’t talk to me,” Shinichi groaned.  “I don’t need to deal with two headaches at once.”

“Wow,” he laughed.  “That’s rude of you.  I’m impressed.”

“Leave me alone.  I’m in _pain_.”

The man snorted, “I’ll bet.  If I’d had as many shots as you, I think I’d be on my death bed.”

He had the gall to sound amused.  As he was glaring at him, Shinichi’s eyes finally came back into proper focus, and his mind supplied him with the name he was missing:  Kaito, Space Renegade, among… other things.

His eyes were as devastating as ever, even with one hidden behind his monocle—he thought the thing had some kind of “smart glass” upgrade, but he wasn’t sure.  Not to mention, his hair was, frankly, a disaster.  Shinichi wanted to run his fingers through it…  Just to straighten it, of course.

“I don’t think I remember what happened last night,” Shinichi admitted, grimacing.  He wasn’t sure he’d ever had that much to drink.  He wasn’t even sure _why_ he’d had so much.  Heiji had been there, so that was at least half of the reason, but as for the other half…

“Let me fill you in,” Kaito said with a too-cheerful grin—he was definitely hiding something.  “When I got there, you were already well into taking shots with that Hattori guy.  After about another 20 minutes, you and he got into some kind of argument about ancient literature.”

“He doesn’t think Doyle is worthy of its classic status,” Shinichi grumbled.  “Wants some Ellery Queen to be a classic instead.”

“Yeah, when he said that, you punched him in the face.”

Shinichi flinched.

“He proceeded to return the favor, and before anyone could do anything, the two of you were having a proper drunken brawl.  It was quite a sight!”  Kaito winked.

“And how’d _you_ end up here?” Shinichi asked.   “Not that I’m all that surprised…”

“I got caught picking pockets.  By you, actually.”  Kaito grinned.  “You were so drunk you could barely stand, but you still caught my hand in your pocket.”

“You groped me,” Shinichi remembered, indignant.  “I can’t believe they put me in a cell with _you_ of all people.”

“Ouch,” Kaito said, too casual.  (Was he actually hurt by that?)  “They didn’t want to put you in with the guy you were brawling with, and Hattori said he’d wring my stupid neck once he got his hands on me.”

Shinichi blushed.

“All said, they figured it would be safer to put me with you.  Also, I might have asked nicely.”

“Of course you did.”  Shinichi sighed and rolled over on the bed.  He was starting to remember why he’d been drinking so heavily.

“Hey now, what’s wrong?  We were getting along so _well_ ,” Kaito whined, probably pouting at his back.  Shinichi refused to turn around.

“The only person who still thinks we get along is _you_ ,” Shinichi muttered, feeling venomous.  That lying, no good _pirate_.  Probably going to run off and make out with more pretty girls once he was released…  Shinichi huffed.

“What?  I thought that we were going to…  You really don’t think…?” Kaito sounded upset, but didn’t seem up to finishing his sentences.  Served him right.  How heartless did he have to be to say he wanted to, to _travel_ with Shinichi once his last job was over with and then go around kissing people that _weren’t_ Shinichi once he’d turned away?

He hadn’t even told Shinichi he was back in town…

“How could I think we get along when you’re still lying to _me_?” Shinichi asked, sitting up and turning to glare at Kaito.  “I thought we were past all that!  You said you didn’t want to lie anymore, but you _still are_ ,” Shinichi continued, ignoring the blush rising with his temper.

Kaito looked floored.  He struggled for a long moment, looking for an answer probably.

“I…  Did you see me before I got off work or something?” Kaito asked.  “I only finished my last job yesterday, you know?”

“What?”

“The job brought me back here, and it got pretty messy at the end, had to lie to a lot of people to get the information I needed.  I lied a little too well to one girl—she kissed me pretty hard before I could stop her,” Kaito grimaced, like the memory was unpleasant to recall.  “Once I finished up with all that, I tried to find you, but you weren’t answering your phone.  Mouri told me Hattori took you out drinking, so…”

“So you came to find me at the bar,” Shinichi finished for him.  His blush shifted from anger to mortification.  His shoulders slumped, and he covered his face with both hands.

“I was pretty surprised when you slapped me,” Kaito laughed.  “I thought you’d be a little happier to see me again.”

“You were the reason I was even _at_ the bar,” Shinichi admitted.  “I did see you while you were working, only I didn’t _know_ that you were still on the job.  I thought you chose to kiss her, _wanted_ to kiss her, and I didn’t exactly stick around long enough to find out.”

“You saw me with…  Shinichi, were you _jealous_?” Kaito asked, sounding almost incredulous.

Shinichi refused to answer.

“You _were_ ,” Kaito breathed.  “Oh my God, you were jealous and hurt, so Hattori took you out and got you drunk!  No wonder the guy was so pissed at me!  Shit, I thought I’d accidentally hit on Toyama again or something,” Kaito laughed.

“Can’t believe you’re _laughing_ at me,” Shinichi mumbled, ears burning.

“Sorry, sorry, I’m just so _relieved_ ,” Kaito said.  The opposing bed creaked, indicating he was probably standing now.  “Dude, I thought you didn’t like me anymore!  I went looking for you to tell you we could go on vacation together as soon as you were done with work, and you slapped me first chance you got.  It was all very confusing.”

Kaito took both of Shinichi’s hands in his, pulling them away from his face.  At some point after Shinichi closed his eyes, Kaito must have taken off his monocle, because both eyes were uncovered and unfairly earnest.

“Would you mind if I kissed you?  I’ve missed you _terribly_ while I’ve been away,” Kaito touched their foreheads together, smiling.  “Thought about you _all_ the time.”

“Did you?”

“Mm-hmm,” Kaito agreed.  “Especially when I was all alone… at night…”

Shinichi smiled and let himself give in to Kaito’s charms.  He tilted his face into a better angle and pressed their lips together in a warm kiss.  The last time they’d been together was at _least_ three months ago.  Kaito had been stocking up for another mission of sorts at the space station Shinichi worked on.

That had been an _excellent_ weekend.

In the meantime, they’d had plenty of video chats that got rather… intimate at times, but nothing quite beat having the real Kaito, warm and in the flesh.

Someone outside the cell coughed.

“Excuse me, but your bail’s been posted.”  Shinichi and Kaito split apart to glance at the guard studiously avoiding their eyes.  “Both of you are free to go.  Try not to get so drunk next time, huh?”

“Of course.  I’m sorry to have caused any trouble, officer.”  Shinichi said, standing.

“I’m sorry to have been caught causing trouble, officer,” Kaito winked, slipping his hand into Shinichi’s back pocket.  Shinichi jumped, but said nothing and ignored Kaito’s resulting grin.

In the front of the station, Ran and Kazuha were chatting—well, Ran was chatting.  Kazuha was _fuming_.  When Ran noticed him and Kaito, she waved, smiling.  Shinichi returned the smile, feeling more than a little sheepish.

“Good,” she said when they were close enough.  “You’ve made up.  Now you’ll have to talk to Heiji.”

“When I’m through with that moron, there won’t be anything left to talk _to_ ,” Kazuha said, eyes brimming with murderous intent.

“What the hell is _he_ doing here?  And with his hand in your pocket, _again_ ,” Heiji asked, voice raised.  Shinichi stepped between them, placing a hand on his best friend’s chest.

“Heiji, it was all a misunderstanding,” Shinichi explained.  “I jumped to conclusions.”

“Yeah, right, he just got in your head again,” Heiji said, eyes dark.  “I’m going to kill him if it’s the last thing I do, Shinichi.”

“If you kill him, it _will_ be the last thing you do,” Shinichi returned.  “Kazuha will have to fight me for the privilege of murdering your stubborn fool of a self first.”

“We could always take turns beating him up,” Kazuha suggested, sounding pleasant enough.

“Excellent idea,” Shinichi said.  “Are we going to have to put that into practice, Heiji?”

Heiji frowned between him and Kaito, expression serious.

“If it was all a misunderstanding, you won’t mind my asking about your intentions, right, Kuroba?”

“Of course not,” Kaito shrugged.  “I intend to take Shinichi on vacation with me and, if all goes well, I’ll probably propose in a few months.”

Shinichi’s ears burned with his embarrassment.  In a few months, he wanted to…?

“Aw, you’re going to let Shinichi make an honest man out of you?” Ran asked with a teasing smile.

“No one better suited for it,” Kaito said, laughing.  “I’ve never wanted to settle down with anyone else before, so I figure I should lock him down before he wises up.”

“Wish he’d wised up sooner, but I guess he’s stuck with you now.  Screw it up, and I’ll kill you, make no mistake of it.”  Heiji crossed his arms.  “You really hurt him, misunderstanding or not.  It better not happen again.”

“Yes, sir.”

“You…  You want to settle down with me?” Shinichi asked, unable to look away from Kaito.  He was sure he must have heard wrong, sure that some other Kaito was talking about leaving the exciting life of a renegade for a life on a space station with a less-than-exciting private detective.

“Of course,” Kaito said easily.  “It’s why I’ve been tying up loose ends, paying off old debts, and the like.  Hard to change careers when you’ve got old ‘friends’ holding things over your head.”

“Before you continue this very important discussion, we should probably leave the station for home, don’t you think?” Ran suggested, smiling at them both.

“Let’s get out of here,” Heiji agreed.  “Oh, and about last night:  Sorry for slugging you.”

“I’m also sorry for punching you,” Shinichi grimaced.  “No hard feelings?”

“None at all, bro.”

“Great, I get to kill him alone,” Kazuha said, clearly still mad at Heiji for getting arrested in the first place.

“Can it wait until we get home at least?” Heiji asked.

“I suppose,” Kazuha allowed magnanimously.

The two walked out the door together with nary a goodbye, leaving Ran, Kaito, and Shinichi in their dust.  Shinichi snorted a laugh; the two were probably about to have a shouting match before tumbling into bed together.  Typical.

Kaito linked arms with both Shinichi and Ran once they too were outside.  As they began to walk, Kaito turned his attention to Ran.

“What do I owe you, Miss Mouri?” he asked.

“Don’t be ridiculous,” Ran waved him off, shaking her head.

“No, no, I insist.  Part of getting out clean is paying _all_ of my debts, including yours.”

“Take care of Shinichi and I’ll consider us even,” Ran smiled.

“That, I can do.”

“I should hope so,” Shinichi rolled his eyes.  “It would hardly be sensible for me to agree to marry someone who couldn’t take care of me.”

“Oh, of course,” Kaito said, nodding sagely.  “If you’d like, I can even prove my worth to you once we get home.”

“And that’s where I leave you,” Ran laughed.  “Much as I love you, Shinichi, I don’t want to stick around for your guys’ foreplay.”

“Sorry.  I’ll buy you lunch tomorrow, yeah?”

“I want to eat at that fancy place that opened up on Deck B,” Ran told him.

“Yes, ma’am,” Shinichi agreed.  With that, she waved goodbye and split off, heading toward her own apartment.

“Good, now I can tell you all about what I’ve been thinking about since I knew I was coming home to you soon,” Kaito murmured in his ear, shifting his arm until it was looped about Shinichi’s waist.  He leered, gazing for a long moment at Shinichi’s mouth.

“Oh?” Shinichi asked, eyes dropping to Kaito’s lips.  “I like the sound of that, ‘coming home to me.’  If that’s the case, though, you should probably start leaving more of your things with me…”

“Are you asking me to move in with you?  My, Shinichi, how _forward_.”

“ _You’re_ the one already thinking about proposing.”

“I am.  Nothing public, of course—I know how much you hate that kind of attention…”

“Thought you were going to tell me what you were thinking about.”

“I thought it might be best to wait until we were inside.  It’s not exactly something we should talk about in public.  It’s rather… explicit.”

“Good.” Shinichi opened his front door and dragged Kaito inside and into a deep kiss.  The hand Kaito had settled on his hip slid down to grope his ass while he pressed Shinichi into his front door.

“God, I’ve missed you.”

“I missed you, too,” Shinichi mumbled into his mouth.  “Now, start talking.”

Kaito grinned and dragged him ever closer.

“As you wish.”


	6. Kuroba Kaito, Super Hero

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: "I’m going to need you to put on some underwear before you say anything else."
> 
> For those of you who recognize the vague outline of the plot, you aren't seeing things. This is an entirely self-indulgent Samurai Flamenco AU, due mostly to the fact that I just finished watching the series (after four days). Now that this is out of my system, I'll be turning most of my attention back to Gentlemen Thieves.  
> (I'm terribly sorry for the delay. The chapter was coming out weird and, rather than have another chapter I dislike the pacing of, I decided to rewrite it more or less from scratch. It was giving me a lot of trouble, but I should be able to look at it with fresh eyes, now. Here's hoping, anyway.)

Shinichi checked his phone absently as he rounded the alley’s corner.  No new text messages.  Ran must be out with Sonoko today.  He hoped she was happy.  Even if she was dating people that weren’t him.  (That was his own fault, he reminded himself.  She deserved happiness, and he was convinced he was the least suited to give it to her.)

He heard someone groan and looked up, making eye contact with a naked guy ducking behind a dumpster.  He took a step back.

“I’m not someone suspicious, I swear,” the suspicious naked man said.

“Like hell you’re not,” Shinichi countered.  “I’m going to have to arrest you for public indecency.”

“You’re a police officer?” the man looked pleasantly surprised.  “My name is Kuroba Kaito.  I’m a superhero.”

“What.”

Shinichi should have known then that he was in for the ride of his life.

 

* * *

 

 _The Mysterious KID strikes again!_ the headlines proclaimed.  Shinichi rolled his eyes at the shot accompanying it.  Kuroba, in his usual gaudy white getup, was posing like a 90’s anime hero, also as usual.  He pulled out his phone, tapping out a quick text.

 _You’ve made the front page_ , he sent.

A few minutes later, Kuroba replied.

 _Great, right?_ ( ´ ▽ ` )b _I’m finally starting to make a difference!_

Shinichi smiled, _That’s one word for it.  Don’t overdo it.  Have you been eating?_

_Have you?_

Shinichi smiled and tucked his phone into his pocket.  If he didn’t answer, Kuroba would definitely join him for dinner tonight.  That would be nice.  It had been awhile.

When he opened the door to his apartment, his eyes fell immediately onto the pop star sitting at his kitchen table.

“How did you get in here, Koizumi?”

“How do I ever?” she answered mysteriously.  Typical Koizumi Akako, then.

“Where’s your better half?” Shinichi asked, putting his groceries away with a sigh.  “I like talking to her better.”

“Tough luck for you, then.  I’m here about your boyfriend.”

“Not my boyfriend.”

“Kuroba has been completely insufferable lately,” Koizumi continued, ignoring his flat protest.  “He’s also running himself ragged.  That stuffy manager of his has been landing him part after part, not to mention all his nightly escapades.”

“So?  What am I supposed to do,” Shinichi rested his hip against his kitchen counter, raising his eyebrows.  “We both know exactly how stubborn he is.”

“Take him on vacation.  If it’s you, he’d agree.”

“I’m not taking a vacation.  I have a job to do, in case you’ve forgotten.”

“Suit yourself, then.  When he winds up dead, it’ll be your own fault.”  And without another word, she stood and breezed out of his apartment, black hair flashing red in the light of the setting sun.  That woman was completely crazy and more than a little scary.  It was a wonder Nakamori still agreed to sing with her.  (What her interest in Kuroba was, he still couldn’t figure out.)

Shaking his head, he turned and set about making dinner.  No doubt Kuroba would find his way to Shinichi’s doorstep as he was setting the table.  Shinichi smiled.

His phone buzzed against the counter.

_Are you going to take a trip home anytime soon?  I miss you!  ;3;_

Shinichi’s smile faded somewhat.  It had been a long time since he’d thought of going home.  Not since…  He stared at the ceiling for a long time.  Ran was the last person he’d expected to bring it up.  If anyone, he’d expected his mother to do the honors, though she at least understood his reluctance.

Maybe…  A weekend off was hardly a vacation…

 _I wasn’t really thinking about it, why?  Something happen?_ he sent.

_I may have someone I want to introduce you to.  If you can’t come, we could always come visit you…?_

_I’ll think about it_.

_^_^_

As he put his phone back down on the counter, the expected knock sounded.  Shinichi smiled again, stepping away from the counter.  When he opened the door, Kuroba smiled sheepishly.

“I happened to be in the area…”

“Don’t bother, moron.  Come on, dinner’s just about ready.”

Kuroba’s smile grew wide and unabashed as he stepped confidently past Shinichi, quickly making himself at home.

“I brought desert,” Kuroba said, glancing back at him.

“Cake again?”

“ _Coffee_ cake, just for you, you freak.”

“Not everyone can have such a ridiculously sweet tooth, Kuroba,” Shinichi rolled his eyes.

“It’s acquired,” Kuroba shrugged.  “If I didn’t have one, I’d never have survived a childhood as Aoko’s best friend.”  Shinichi snorted.  That was true enough.  And, well, the gesture was—pun not intended—sweet.

While Shinichi dished up their food, he shot subtle glances at Kuroba.  Koizumi wasn’t kidding.  The guy looked like it was a miracle he was still standing.  He needed to slow down before he ran himself into the ground.

It was probably because of that that, when they were both settled on his couch, eating in a companionable silence, Shinichi heard himself say, “I’ve been thinking about visiting my hometown sometime soon.  Would you like to come with me?”

Kuroba set down his empty plate and turned to face Shinichi, expression falling immediately serious.

“I’d be honored to come with you, Kudou.  When?”

“I still need to ask for time off, but maybe this coming weekend?”

“Let me know when you know for sure.  I’ll make Hakuba give me the day off,” Kuroba settled back against the couch, smiling widely.  “Will I finally get to meet your Miss Ran?”

“Probably.  Our other friend, too, most likely.”

“I’m looking forward to it.  It’s been awhile since I took a trip anywhere.”

Koizumi was right about one thing, he supposed.  He closed his eyes.  The last time he’d been home was… at least a year ago, probably two?  At least one person was looking forward to the trip…

 

* * *

 

When his mother opened the door, she pulled him immediately into a tight hug.

“Welcome home,” she mumbled into his shoulder.  He wrapped his arms gently around her shoulders, frailer than he remembered.  When she pulled back, Shinichi was struck by how dim her face still looked.  Her eyes were brighter than before, but only barely.

“Mom, this is my friend, Kuroba Kaito.  Kuroba, this is my mom,” Shinichi introduced, taking a small step to the side.  When Yukiko saw Kuroba, she gasped, raising a hand to her mouth.  She shook her head.

“K-Kuroba, you say?” she asked, swaying in place.  Shinichi took one of her arms to steady her, frowning.  “N-No relation to Toichi and Chikage, surely?”

“They were my parents,” Kuroba said, frowning at her.  “Did you know them?”

Yukiko started to cry, nodding as she bit her lip.  Shinichi frowned between them.

“We should continue this inside, I think,” Shinichi said, helping his mother turn around, gesturing for Kuroba to follow them into the living room.

The story his mother told them was both new to him and familiar.  An unsolved double homicide some 12 years ago.  His father chasing leads long after the police gave up.  His father finding the culprit.  The culprit facing justice… for his father’s murder along with the unsolved double homicide.

What were the odds that two people so deeply connected would meet in an alley in a completely different city?

“Please forgive my reaction to you,” Yukiko said to Kuroba, arms wrapped around herself and eyes pressed closed.  “Tonight it seems I’m facing two ghosts.”

“Two?” Kuroba asked.

“I’m the spitting image of my father,” Shinichi said, not looking away from the ceiling.  He was sure Kuroba was going to start making connections now.  He had no mirrors in his apartment.  He refused to look at his reflection in windows they passed.  He never looked at pictures people took of him.  He hated compliments about his looks…

“Jii, the man who took me in after, he says I look just like my father.  I feel pretty bad, because I don’t really…  I barely remember him or my mother,” Kuroba admitted.

“I have a photo album somewhere,” Yukiko said, eyes still closed.  “I’m sure I could find it if you were interested.”

“I’ll think about it,” Kuroba said.  Shinichi could hear the gentle smile in his voice.  Of all the people he could have taken back on his first visit since leaving, he could have done far worse than Kuroba.  He’d have to be extra nice to him for a few days in thanks.

 

* * *

 

“So _you’re_ the mysterious Kuroba,” Ran beamed, leaning forward.  ”I have heard _a lot_ about you.”

“I’m afraid I can’t return the sentiment,” Kuroba laughed.  “Kudou has been suspiciously tight-lipped about you.  I can’t quite figure it out.”

“Oh, that’s no mystery,” Ran smirked.

“Ran,” Shinichi said sternly, shaking his head.  She sighed.

“What a killjoy.  Anyway, Kuroba, you absolutely _have_ to come to karaoke with us tonight.  Our friend Sonoko will be there, along with a new friend of mine, Sera.”

So that was why she wanted him to visit.  No wonder.

“I’m looking forward to it,” Kuroba beamed.  “I’ve always wanted to hear Kudou sing.”

Ran laughed long and loud.  Shinichi grimaced, turning away.

“Remember you said that,” she snickered.  “Now, why don’t we start heading over?  It’s a bit of a trek after all.”

 

* * *

 

“I like your friends,” Kuroba told him, voice low, as they walked back to his place.  Shinichi made a noncommittal noise.  “Ran is especially nice, and Sonoko has good taste in heroes.”  Shinichi snorted.  “Sera also seemed nice,” Kuroba tested.

Masumi Sera was interesting.  Shinichi had thought for a while that she was a _he_ before being quickly corrected when Ran realized.  Sera had a feminine face in the right light, but no curves to speak of.  Her voice was also somewhat…  But if she was a she, then that was that.

Shinichi sighed.  Ran seemed happy with her in any case.  And there was no doubt they were together.  The way Ran turned and leaned toward her at all times like a sunflower with the sun…  That was her tell.  (It used to be _he_ was her sun, though that was a long time ago…)

“Nice, sure,” Shinichi said finally.

“The two of you dated once, right?” Kuroba asked.  “You and Ran?”

“Yeah.”

“You love her?”

“Yeah.”

They both fell silent.  When his house rose up in the distance, Shinichi glanced from it to the moon.

“When my father…  She couldn’t see it, but I knew I wasn’t good for her anymore.  I changed.  The old me deserved her, but this me?  This me can’t compare.  She deserves better.  Whether or not this Sera is good enough, I can’t say, but Ran’s happiness is for her to decide.”

“So, when you decided she deserved better, did she agree?”

Shinichi froze.

“There’s nothing wrong with it, but if her happiness is for her to decide, the same can be said for you, right?  So, when you decided to end your romantic relationship with her, was it for her?  Or was it for you?”

Shinichi strode quickly up the walk, trying to get away from Kuroba’s words, away from the ice threatening to spread through his veins.

“Sorry, ignore me,” Kuroba said, voice gentle again.  “I overstepped.”

“You did,” Shinichi agreed, opening the door.  “I’ll see you in the morning.”

“Good night, Kudou.”

Shinichi walked up the stairs and locked himself in his room, sliding down to sit against the door, drawing his knees up to his chest.

“Always so damned observant,” he muttered to himself.  It was for her, not for him.  He would never ruin her happiness.  _Never_.

_I’m glad you met Kuroba.  He clearly makes you happy~ :)_

Attached to Ran’s text was a picture of him from that night.

_I know you hate having your picture taken, but I thought this was one you should see._

Shinichi forced himself to look.  He was sitting in their booth, leaning forward with his elbows on his knees, laughing at something Sonoko and Kuroba were talking about.  His entire body was oriented toward Kuroba.

Like a sunflower.

 _You should tell him_.

_Good night, Ran._

He closed his eyes and sat for a long time before finally forcing himself to get ready for bed.  When he was settled under the covers, he checked his phone one more time.

 _Pleasant dreams, Shinichi_.

He rolled over, but was slow to fall asleep.

 

* * *

 

When he opened his eyes, head pounding, he was startled by the gun leveled on him.  Right, blow to the head on his way home.  This guy was…  He had no idea.  He’d never seen him before.  Was this the guy Kuroba had been so worried about?

“Oh, good…” the man smiled a cold, empty expression.  “You’re awake.  I’m sure our dear Kid will be here very soon.”

“And then what will you do, kill me?  Why?” Shinichi asked, watching him warily.  He let his eyes dart away for a moment, taking in the space.  It was destroyed, charred, but recognizable.  He was in Kuroba’s apartment.

“Oh no, I’m not going to kill you.  _You_ are going to kill _me_.  Together, we will destroy Kuroba Kaito.”

“Why would I kill you?” Shinichi frowned.  “I’ve never even met you.”

“That’s true.  I have met your mother, though.”  Shinichi froze.  “Such a sad, pathetic woman.  It’s a wonder she’s lasted this long.  All alone in that big, empty house.  No husband, no child, no real sense of self…”

“What have you done,” Shinichi demanded.

“What I had to.  When was the last time you spoke with your mother?”

Shinichi hadn’t for a while.  When he’d tried earlier, the call had gone straight to voice mail.  Ran hadn’t been picking up either…

“ _What did you do to my mother?”_

“She has a beautiful voice, your mother.  Although, I only really heard her scream…”

Shinichi shot forward, nearly tearing his arms out of their sockets, the handcuffs cutting into his wrists.  He thrashed against his restraints, mindless in his rage.

“ _I’ll kill you, you bastard!_ ”

“That’s the spirit,” the man cheered, beaming at him.  “All we need now is for our precious hero to show up.”

“ _Let me go,”_ Shinichi screamed, voice nearly cracking.  He could feel blood dripping from his wrists onto his hands.  His shoulders throbbed with pain.

“Not yet.”

The door opened.  Shinichi was sure it was Kuroba, but he didn’t bother to check, focused on getting at the man who hurt his mother, his _family._

“Kudou,” Kuroba said, urgent, “Release Kudou.  You have me now, so let him go.”

“I can’t do that.  I need him to kill me.”

“What?  Why?”

“To complete your transformation into a Dark Hero,” the man said.  “He will help me become your tragic back story, your reason for turning cold.”

“Fight _me_ , and leave Kudou out of this.”

“I can’t do that.  Now, change into this,” the man said, tossing something to Kuroba.  “I saved it from the explosion.  You need to be Kid for this, not Kuroba.”

Shinichi felt blinded by his rage, losing track of what was happening.  He was sure they were speaking, Kuroba was… changing clothes?  He only regained focus when the keys and gun fell in front of him during their apparent struggle.

He quickly undid his restraints before scooping up the gun and leveling it at the man—was Kuroba _naked_??  Where were his _clothes_?  When Kuroba noticed him, he spun around, putting himself in harm’s way, whatever speech he’d been giving forgotten.

“Get out of the way,” Shinichi growled.

“I can’t do that.”

“He hurt my _mom_ , Kuroba.  He needs to die.”

“ _No_.  That’s just what he wants!  You _can’t_.”

“I _can_ and I _will_.  Get _out of my way, Kuroba_.  _He killed my mom._ ”

“ _No_.  You _idiot_ , she’s not dead!”

“You’re lying!”

“I would never lie to you, Kudou, I would _never._   She’s in the hospital, but all she has are a few bruises, nothing major.  She’s a little shaken, but _she’s fine_.  Ran called me, because she couldn’t reach you.”  Kuroba took a step forward, eyes wide and pained, but earnest.

“Ran did?”

“Yes.”

“They’re both okay?”

“Safe and sound.  I spoke to Ran myself.”

Shinichi felt the fight drain out of him and dropped to his knees, mindlessly putting the gun’s safety on before placing it on the ground.  Kuroba kicked it away before dropping to his own knees in front of him.

It occurred to Shinichi that Kuroba was still…

“Marry me,” Kuroba breathed.

“What?”

“I want to marry you.  I think I love you.” Kuroba told him.  “I’ve never been in love before, so it took a long time to notice.  Aoko and Hakuba set me straight actually, with some help from Jii.  So I think it’s probably safe to say I love you and would like to spend the rest of my life with you.”

“I…  I’m going to need you to put on some underwear before you say anything else,” Shinichi managed, more than a little shell-shocked.  Kuroba laughed, a touch of hysterics evident.

“That’s not a no,” Kuroba beamed.

“Not a yes, either,” Shinichi mumbled, eyes falling shut.  He needed some time to process everything.  It was all adding up to more than he could handle.  Hell, the last time he’d spoken with Kuroba, they’d had their first real fight, and now he was proposing?

He wanted to see his mom before he tried to deal with the tangle of emotions wrapped like a vice around his heart.  He needed to see Ran again, too, to verify for himself…

 

* * *

 

Shinichi and Kuroba were walking down the street, hands nearly brushing with each step.  Kuroba’s movie was going to be premiering soon, so he was telling Shinichi about the people he could expect to see there, both familiar and not.

During a lull in the conversation, Shinichi smiled, letting their hands brush for just a moment.

“Yes,” he decided.

Kuroba shot him a curious look, head tipping to the side.  Shinichi smiled, but said nothing else, waiting.  After what was probably 30 seconds, Kuroba sucked in a breath.

“Yes?”

Shinichi nodded.  Before he could mention preferring a long engagement, Kuroba pressed one hand to his cheek, guiding him close for a warm, chaste kiss.  Shinichi settled a hand on his hip, returning it, easy and languid.

“I’m going to protect you, Kudou Shinichi.  I’ll cherish you for the rest of our lives and not a minute less.”

“You better, Kuroba,” Shinichi murmured into his lips, kissing him again and again.

They were late to the premiere, but the press hardly noticed, distracted as they were by Shinichi and Kaito’s fingers twined securely together.


	7. Put that glider where it came from or so help me...

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: "So what if I broke my arm I'm still doing it."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for my absence lately. I've had a lot going on and no time to write. The next chapter of Gentlemen Thieves is in progress, so don't worry, I haven't given up. In the meantime, I wrote this to get back into the swing of writing. I hope you enjoy it, and I hope to have the next chapter finished soon!

“I’ve had worse,” Kid assured him airily, prepping his hang glider like there was nothing wrong. “This is fine. I’m fine.”

“No, you’re not. Your arm is broken, you stubborn moron,” Shinichi scolded.

“So what if I broke my arm? I’m still doing it,” Kid said, likely rolling his eyes before turning and stepping to the edge of the building.

“If you fly away on that death trap, I will not attend another heist.”

Kid froze, the wind blowing the charm of his monocle, the light from the buildings nearby flashing off of it. Kid slowly turned back to face him, expression inscrutable. The light sparked off his monocle, obscuring his eye, the other eye hidden under the brim of his top hat.

“Do you… really mean that?” Kid asked, sounding almost hesitant. “It matters that much to you?”

Shinichi wasn’t sure if he’d be able to follow through with the threat, but it _was_ that important to him. If Kid was dead… If Kid was dead, Shinichi wasn’t sure he’d be able to keep himself going. Some days, knowing he was going to see Kid sometime soon was the only reason he could get himself moving.

Most days, Ran checked in with him regularly. His depression was pretty mild compared to some cases, but it could still do a number on him, could still culminate in him sitting alone in a big, empty house for far longer than he should. Ran made sure he was keeping everything clean and eating regular meals. Hattori liked to make sure he left the house. Kid… Kid made him feel like he was _living_ , not living a lie.

“A broken arm will heal. A broken neck could kill you.” Shinichi turned his face away, not quite willing to see him fly off in spite of him.

“You’re really that worried about me?” Kid asked. His voice sounded… touched. Shinichi looked back at him. Kid’s smile was gentle and small in contrast with his earlier wide grins.

“Yeah,” Shinichi admitted, unwilling to explain just how worried Kid made him feel or how much Shinichi cared about the stupid, reckless thief. (Too much, far too much.)

“Okay,” Kid said, releasing his glider. The fabric flowed around him as a cape once more. Shinichi felt the tension in his shoulders release, much like the fabric had.

“Thank you. If you need help getting away clean, then let me. Whatever you need from me, I’ll try to do it,” Shinichi promised. Kid chuckled.

“That’s a dangerous route to take, detective,” Kid said, striding toward him, somehow predatory despite the broken arm still cradled against his chest. “What if I need you to undress me? What if I need you to help me with my disguise?”

“Of course I’d help you,” Shinichi frowned. “Although, it’s possible I could see your face doing those things. Is that okay with you?”

“I’m willing to run the risk,” Kid decided, considering him. “After all, what would you do with that information? Turn me in?”

Shinichi shook his head, “Of course not. If I wanted to arrest you, you’d be in prison.”

“Aren’t you confident,” Kid teased.

“I’ve had 12 opportunities to arrest you during the last three heists alone. If I wanted you in prison, that’s where you’d be. I’m sure Hakuba feels the same way, for what it’s worth.”

“Mood ruined,” Kid sighed, shaking his head. “I’m going to need you to help me with my shirt and jacket.” Kid pulled his hat off, pressing it flat and making it disappear in one move. The monocle was next, pulled off his face and apparently out of existence in a flash.

Shinichi balked at him, feeling his cheeks heat a little in his embarrassment. Seeing Kid like this… It was almost obscene, indecent. He was so vulnerable, and he chose to trust _Shinichi_. His heart was pounding and his breath was coming a little too fast.

“Everything okay, detective? Not getting cold feet, are you?” Kid asked, smiling warmly. His eyes were bright and there was a bit of color in his cheeks, suggesting he wasn’t as unaffected as he was acting.

“My feet are always cold,” Shinichi said without thinking.

Kid burst into surprised laughter, pressing his uninjured hand to his mouth.

“ _Detective_ ,” Kid chided, “you never told me you were _funny_. Help me with my jacket, I need to process this new information.”

“Jerk,” Shinichi mumbled, pulling the jacket off anyway. “What are you going to do about the rest?”

“Untie my tie for me?” Kid asked. As Shinichi did so, Kid continued, “I’ll roll up the sleeves to the shirt, but the pants are going to have to go. Same with the shoes. After that, I’ll be able to walk out of here like this.”

“Face and all?” Shinichi asked, handing him the jacket and attached cape and the tie. Kid disposed of both without any fuss.

“Face and all,” he agreed. He toed out of his shoes before pulling off his pants.

Shinichi spun around, his faded blush returning with a vengeance.

“Oh, honestly, detective,” Kid said, probably rolling his eyes again.

“I do not want to see you more undressed than I already have,” Shinichi said sternly. “It’s not right, not like this.”

“Like this?” Kid asked. “You’d be fine with me taking my pants off in other circumstances?” Shinichi could hear the shit-eating grin in his voice. His blush spread to his ears.

“Maybe,” Shinichi admitted, scowling. “Right now, I feel more like I’m taking advantage than anything. I’ve already seen you without your monocle. Isn’t that enough for one night?”

“I suppose it is,” Kid acquiesced. “How do I look?”

Shinichi turned around. Kid looked… normal. He looked like a college student. His hair was messy, but almost artfully so. His general appearance followed suit, leaving him looking pleasantly rumpled, like he’d just rolled out of bed after a night of…

“You look good,” Shinichi blurted. “But how is this going to get you out of here?”

“You’ll see,” Kid winked.

As if they’d been waiting for Kid to finish, the rest of the taskforce led by Nakamori finally caught up with them, bursting onto the roof. Nakamori charged over to them, stuttering to a halt when he saw who Shinichi was with.

“Kaito? What are you doing here?” Nakamori asked, more perplexed than suspicious.

“Ah, sorry, I should’ve mentioned, but I wanted it to be a surprise,” Kid grinned, scratching the back of his head. “See, I wanted to see Shinichi while he was in town, but he’s only really here for the heist and all, so…”

“You crashed a heist to meet with Kudou?” Nakamori asked, glancing at Shinichi. “What, are you guys dating?”

Shinichi spluttered in surprise, opening his mouth to respond. Kid beat him to it.

“Not yet, no. That’s why I was here, actually.” Kid turned to face Shinichi, grabbing his hand, gazing at him earnestly. “Will you go out with me, Shinichi?”

“W-What?” Shinichi asked, gaping at him.

“I would like to go on a date with you, Shinichi. Will you do me the honor of accepting?”

“I, um? Yes?”

“Is that a question?” Kid asked, smiling.

This wasn’t how he’d thought it would go when he was imagining it, but if Kid was being serious, it was proceeding smoother than Shinichi had ever dared to hope for. (Most of his imagined attempts at asking the elusive thief out ended in shame, a broken heart, and never showing his face at a heist again.)

“No, it’s a yes. Yes, I’ll go out with you.”

“Great! We can go now,” Kid told him. “Unless you’re busy?”

“Kid got away, so my night freed up,” Shinichi shrugged. He glanced at the edge of the roof where Kid had nearly jumped, noting the flash of green. “Looks like he even left the gem behind.”

Nakamori sent someone to fetch it before fanning out to look for anything the thief might have left behind. Kid looped his uninjured arm through Shinichi’s, leading the way to the rooftop’s door. When they were alone in the elevator, Kid curled in on himself, wrapped around the broken arm.

“Kid, you’re definitely going to need to get that set.” Shinichi said. “I’ll drive you to the hospital.”

“That would probably be best,” Kid sighed. “This wasn’t how I imagined our first date.”

“Yeah, I always figured it would be more dramatic. This seems much more relaxed.”

Kid’s head shot up.

“What did you imagine, Shinichi?” Kid purred. “Me kidnapping you for a night of insatiable passion?”

Shinichi couldn’t help it. He laughed. It was loud and long enough that his stomach started to hurt. With the broken arm, it was hard to imagine Kid swooping in to make passionate love to him, even with his everything looking like he already had.

“Guess not,” Kid sighed.

“I never said _that_ ,” Shinichi said, wiping his eyes. “It’s a bit hard to imagine _now_ is all. After all, Kid, your arm is more than a little broken,” he continued, still snickering.

“Kuroba Kaito,” Kid said.

“What?”

“My name. It’s Kuroba Kaito. I’d like you to use it when I’m not in the monocle.”

“Any relation to the late magician by the same surname?”

“He was my father.”

“Well, then, Kuroba Kaito, I think we were meant to meet.” Shinichi led their way outside and to his car.

“Oh?”

“Kuroba Toichi and Chikage have long been family friends,” Shinichi explained, helping Kuroba settle himself in his car. “Your father taught my mom everything she knows about makeup and disguise. Plus, my dad gave him the name Kid.”

“Maybe this really was destiny,” Kuroba said, smiling.

“Maybe,” Shinichi smiled, pulling onto the road. “Now let’s get you to the hospital. I’m not going on any dates with you until you’re at least in a cast.”

“I suppose that’s only fair,” Kuroba laughed. “Maybe we could get coffee after?”

“That would be nice, Kuroba. That would be really nice.”


	8. A Storm Brewing

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: “That is the tenth demon summoning this week holy shit.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ETA: For those of you looking for more demon AU, I wrote a longer fic, found [here.](http://archiveofourown.org/works/8460544) If you want a continuation of this in particular, please tell me why or ask leading questions. I consider this finished, though I can see the potential for a larger story.
> 
> If you would like to continue this yourself, please ask me before doing so, but I will most likely say yes.

“Ugh, this is the tenth demon summoning this _week_ ,” an attractive man complained to a dark-skinned man Kaito thought to be his partner.  They seemed to be law enforcement types, after all.

Kaito lounged in the circle he’d been summoned to.

“Well, if it’s all the same, beautiful, I’d like to go home if my gig’s getting canceled.  Mind letting me out?” Kaito shot the man his most winning smile.  The man was Not Impressed.

“Oh, of course, let me just release the level three demon and leave him free to do as he pleases,” he said, voice too light.  The sarcasm beneath the veneer was biting.  “I’m not letting you out until we can be sure you’ll have to go back home.”

“Then one of you is going to need to make the contract with me,” Kaito said.  The horrified look on the darker man was comical in its intensity.

“Kudou, if I make a demon deal, Kazuha _will_ eviscerate me.  I absolutely cannot.”

Kudou sighed, rolling his eyes.  “I know, I know.  Alright, demon, what do you usually do?”

“A lot of things, pretty boys, for one.“  Kaito winked, but the innuendo seemed to go right over Kudou’s head.  His friend looked uncomfortable, though, so at least someone picked up on it.  Kaito sighed.  "I’m a trickster demon.  I mostly cause trouble for people the summoner doesn’t like.”

“Right, okay, then what if I want you to just… stick around with me for the next… week, say, and then go home?”

“No can do.  I’m here for two months already.  The guy summoning me made sure of that,” he tapped a part of the circle with a pointed look.  “But you were complaining about a rash of demon summonings?  My boss is also interested in getting to the bottom of that.  Why not contract me to help?”

Kudou sighed, but nodded.  “Yeah, that should do."  He quickly set about writing the contract, working through each point in his head until he was satisfied, though Kaito couldn’t see what he was writing.

"Sign here, please,” Kudou said, handing him the notepad with the contract.  Kaito glanced it over, surprised by how thorough it was.  He wouldn’t be able to use his powers at all without permission from Kudou; no pranking without permission; no going after criminals without telling Kudou or a Hattori in advance…

“I’m impressed,” Kaito said, signing the page with a flourish before handing it back.  “No human I’ve been summoned by has ever put this much thought into a contract before.”

“I’m sure you’ve never been summoned by a member of the Special Police Force,” Kudou said, voice dry as he signed.  The circle burst with a pop and Kaito stretched, languid and pleased.  Free from his binds _at last_.  Well, most of them.

He pressed in close to Kudou, tipping his face up by the chin.  “I certainly haven’t been summoned by the police, and never by anyone as beautiful as you."  He pressed a kiss to Kudou’s mouth, relaxed with his surprise.  "There, our contract is sealed in the old ways.”

Kudou blinked slowly even as Kaito took a single step out of his space.  Kudou swayed a moment, cheeks turning red.  He actually looked a little…

With a soft noise, he blacked out.  Kaito swooped in and caught him, frowning in confusion.

“What did you do?” his partner demanded.

“I sealed the contract like I said!"  Kaito frowned, pressing the back of his hand to Kudou’s forehead.  "I think the magic overwhelmed him a little.  Does he have any experience with direct magical contact?”

“Yeah?  We all do.  Part of the job.”

But that wasn’t quite right.  Kudou was responding in a way Kaito had only heard rumors about.  He hadn’t heard of a human fainting in, well, _decades_ at least.  But if he _was_ …

His sensitivity to magic was much higher than it seemed.  High enough that sealing a contract with Old Magic would be overwhelming to him, especially if the magic was already drawn to him…

Wouldn’t his friend have noticed by now?  Shooting him a glance, Kaito immediately understood it to be impossible.  With a protective charm as strong as his, there was no way he could feel any non-threatening magic like the kind that Kaito was starting to feel around Kudou.

This was going to be a very interesting few months.  Akako was going to be mad about missing out on all the fun.  Too bad Kudou seemed too smart to summon her himself…  Although, with the way things were progressing, maybe she’d get some time topside after all.

Only time would tell.

**Author's Note:**

> I do not authorize the redistribution or use of my work outside of this site. If you would like me to consider posting my work to another site, you may ask me about it, and I will consider doing so. I consider reposting my work without my permission a violation. At this time, I post my work here and on fanfiction.net.


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